From Madeira to the Eurovision: Católica student combines music and economics

‘Surrounded by good music’ from an early age, Lourenço Gomes, now 20, is a member of the band ‘NAPA’, which has just won the 2025 Festival da Canção (Portuguese Competition for the Eurovision contest). ‘I started playing the piano when I was six because my brother played and I found it fascinating,’ he recalls.

Now, the music that Lourenço, his brother and the other members produce resonates in the ears and hearts of young university students across the country. Described as an ode to students who move away from home to study, the title ‘Deslocado’ (displaced) has gone viral and won the final of the Festival da Canção, 8 March, on RTP.

In the words of the young musician and student, ‘to be displaced is to miss the place where we grew up and created our roots’. Born in Madeira, Lourenço knows this feeling well. He chose a degree in Economics at the Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, ‘because it's one of the best universities in the country.’

The distance from home is an obstacle, but ‘the atmosphere at Católica is united, I feel that people like to take part in academic life, have activities, talk to each other and not just go to school to have lessons and then go home.’

The sacrifice and longing are worth it and he's enjoying the course, particularly the ‘teachers who love what they teach and share that passion with the students.’

Speaking about his homeland, he explains: ‘It's hard to describe what it's like to be from Madeira. For me it's a sense of belonging, an island perspective on life and a unique tradition and culture.’

Away from this very special home, Lourenço still has to balance life as a full-time student with life as a musician in an up-and-coming band. But the Madeiran doesn't see this as an obstacle.

‘I really enjoy playing and making music, so it often helps me to clear my head after school, to change the way I think.’

And he finds synergies between the two fields: economics and music. ‘Music is art, but it's also a business, so a lot of economics knowledge can be used to better navigate the financial side. Creativity can be applied from the music side to economics.’

With his eyes set on the Eurovison gala, Lourenço confesses: ‘I'm happy that this music is making our work known to more people.’
 

Listen to the Song and support NAPA at the Eurovison: